1
|
Mohammad A, Zheoat A, Oraibi A, Manaithiya A, S. Almaary K, Allah Nafidi H, Bourhia M, Kilani-Jaziri S, A. Bin Jardan Y. Integrating virtual screening, pharmacoinformatics profiling, and molecular dynamics: identification of promising inhibitors targeting 3CLpro of SARS-CoV-2. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 10:1306179. [PMID: 38516396 PMCID: PMC10956415 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1306179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The pursuit of effective therapeutic solutions for SARS-CoV-2 infections and COVID-19 necessitates the repurposing of existing compounds. This study focuses on the detailed examination of the central protease, 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro), a pivotal player in virus replication. The combined approach of molecular dynamics simulations and virtual screening is employed to identify potential inhibitors targeting 3CLpro. Methods: A comprehensive virtual screening of 7120 compounds sourced from diverse databases was conducted. Four promising inhibitors, namely EN1036, F6548-4084, F6548-1613, and PUBT44123754, were identified. These compounds exhibited notable attributes, including high binding affinity (ranging from -5.003 to -5.772 Kcal/mol) and superior Induced Fit Docking scores (ranging from -671.66 to -675.26 Kcal/mol) compared to co-crystallized ligands. Results: In-depth analysis revealed that F6548-1613 stood out, demonstrating stable hydrogen bonds with amino acids His41 and Thr62. Notably, F6548-1613 recorded a binding energy of -65.72 kcal/mol in Molecular Mechanics Generalized Born Surface Area (MMGBSA) simulations. These findings were supported by Molecular Dynamics simulations, highlighting the compound's efficacy in inhibiting 3CLpro. Discussion: The identified compounds, in compliance with Lipinski's rule of five and exhibiting functional molecular interactions with 3CLpro, present promising therapeutic prospects. The integration of in silico methodologies significantly expedites drug discovery, laying the foundation for subsequent experimental validation and optimization. This approach holds the potential to develop effective therapeutics for SARS-CoV-2.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abeer Mohammad
- Department of Pharmacy, Al-Manara College for Medical Sciences, Maysan, Iraq
- Advanced Medical and Dental Institute, University Sains Malaysia, Kepala Batas, Pulau, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Ahmed Zheoat
- Department of Pharmacy, Al-Manara College for Medical Sciences, Maysan, Iraq
| | - Amjad Oraibi
- Department of Pharmacy, Al-Manara College for Medical Sciences, Maysan, Iraq
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences A, Faculty of Pharmacy of Monastir, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
- Research Unit for Bioactive Natural Products and Biotechnology UR17ES49, Faculty of Dental Medicine of Monastir, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Ajay Manaithiya
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India
| | - Khalid S. Almaary
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hiba Allah Nafidi
- Department of Food Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada
| | - Mohammed Bourhia
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ibn Zohr University, Laayoune, Morocco
| | - Soumaya Kilani-Jaziri
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences A, Faculty of Pharmacy of Monastir, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
- Research Unit for Bioactive Natural Products and Biotechnology UR17ES49, Faculty of Dental Medicine of Monastir, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Yousef A. Bin Jardan
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Vijay A, Sreyas Adury VS, Mukherjee A. Targeting RdRp of SARS-CoV-2 with De Novo Molecule Generation. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2024; 7:609-616. [PMID: 37566736 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.3c00339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Viruses are known for their extremely high mutation rates, allowing them to evade both the human immune system and many forms of standard medicine. Despite this, the RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of the RNA viruses has been largely conserved, and any significant mutation of this protein is unlikely. The recent COVID-19 pandemic presents a need for therapeutics. We have designed a de novo drug design algorithm that generates strong binding ligands from scratch, based on only the structure of the target protein's receptor. In this paper, we applied our method to target SARS-CoV-2 RdRp and generated several de novo molecules. We then chose some drug molecules based on the structural similarity to some of our strongest binding de novo molecules. Subsequently, we showed, using rigorous all-atom explicit-water free energy calculations in near-microsecond time scales using state-of-the-art well-tempered metadynamics simulations, that some of our de novo generated ligands bind more strongly to RdRp than the recent FDA approved drug remdesivir in its active form, remdesivir triphosphate (RTP). We elucidated the binding mechanism for some of the top binders and compared it with RTP. We believe that this work will be useful both by presenting lead structures for RdRp inhibition and by delivering key insights into the residues of the protein potentially involved in the binding/unbinding of these small molecule drugs, leading to more targeted studies in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amal Vijay
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune 411008, India
| | | | - Arnab Mukherjee
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune 411008, India
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Abdullahi M, Uzairu A, Shallangwa GA, Mamza PA, Ibrahim MT, Chandra A, Goel VK. In-silico molecular modelling studies of some camphor imine based compounds as anti-influenza A (H1N1) pdm09 virus agents. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:2013-2033. [PMID: 37166274 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2209654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The advent of influenza A (H1N1) drug-resistant strains led to the search quest for more potent inhibitors of the influenza A virus, especially in this devastating COVID-19 pandemic era. Hence, the present research utilized some molecular modelling strategies to unveil new camphor imine-based compounds as anti-influenza A (H1N1) pdm09 agents. The 2D-QSAR results revealed GFA-MLR (R2train = 0.9158, Q2=0.8475) and GFA-ANN (R2train = 0.9264, Q2=0.9238) models for the anti-influenza A (H1N1) pdm09 activity prediction which have passed the QSAR model acceptability thresholds. The results from the 3D-QSAR studies also revealed CoMFA (R2train =0.977, Q2=0.509) and CoMSIA_S (R2train =0.976, Q2=0.527) models for activity predictions. Based on the notable information derived from the 2D-QSAR, 3D-QSAR, and docking analysis, ten (10) new camphor imine-based compounds (22a-22j) were designed using the most active compound 22 as the template. Furthermore, the high predicted activity and binding scores of compound 22j were further justified by the high reactive sites shown in the electrostatic potential maps and other quantum chemical calculations. The MD simulation of 22j in the active site of the influenza hemagglutinin (HA) receptor confirmed the dynamic stability of the complex. Moreover, the appraisals of drug-likeness and ADMET properties of the proposed compounds showed zero violation of Lipinski's criteria with good pharmacokinetic profiles. Hence, the outcomes in this work recommend further in-depth in vivo and in-vitro investigations to validate these theoretical findings.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mustapha Abdullahi
- Faculty of Physical Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
- Faculty of Sciences, Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Kaduna State University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
| | - Adamu Uzairu
- Faculty of Physical Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
| | - Gideon Adamu Shallangwa
- Faculty of Physical Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
| | - Paul Andrew Mamza
- Faculty of Physical Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
| | - Muhammad Tukur Ibrahim
- Faculty of Physical Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
| | - Anshuman Chandra
- School of Physical Science, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Vijay Kumar Goel
- School of Physical Science, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Shehzadi K, Saba A, Yu M, Liang J. Structure-Based Drug Design of RdRp Inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2. Top Curr Chem (Cham) 2023; 381:22. [PMID: 37318607 DOI: 10.1007/s41061-023-00432-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a worldwide pandemic since 2019, spreading rapidly and posing a significant threat to human health and life. With over 6 billion confirmed cases of the virus, the need for effective therapeutic drugs has become more urgent than ever before. RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) is crucial in viral replication and transcription, catalysing viral RNA synthesis and serving as a promising therapeutic target for developing antiviral drugs. In this article, we explore the inhibition of RdRp as a potential treatment for viral diseases, analysing the structural information of RdRp in virus proliferation and summarizing the reported inhibitors' pharmacophore features and structure-activity relationship profiles. We hope that the information provided by this review will aid in structure-based drug design and aid in the global fight against SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kiran Shehzadi
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 10081, China
| | - Afsheen Saba
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 10081, China
| | - Mingjia Yu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 10081, China.
| | - Jianhua Liang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 10081, China.
- Yangtze Delta Region Academy of Beijing Institute of Technology, Jiaxing, 314019, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Identification of RdRp inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2 through E-pharmacophore-based virtual screening, molecular docking and MD simulations approaches. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 237:124169. [PMID: 36990409 PMCID: PMC10043960 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.124169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
The outbreak of novel Coronavirus, an enduring pandemic declared by WHO, has consequences to an alarming ongoing public health menace which has already claimed several million human lives. In addition to numerous vaccinations and medications for mild to moderate COVID-19 infection, lack of promising medication or therapeutic pharmaceuticals remains a serious concern to counter the ongoing coronavirus infections and to hinder its dreadful spread. Global health emergencies have called for urgency for potential drug discovery and time is the biggest constraint apart from the financial and human resources required for the high throughput drug screening. However, computational screening or in-silico approaches appeared to be an effective and faster approach to discover potential molecules without sacrificing the model animals. Accumulated shreds of evidence on computational studies against viral diseases have revealed significance of in-silico drug discovery approaches especially in the time of urgency. The central role of RdRp in SARS-CoV-2 replication makes it promising drug target to curtain on going infection and its spread. The present study aimed to employ E-pharmacophore-based virtual screening to reveal potent inhibitors of RdRp as potential leads to block the viral replication. An energy-optimised pharmacophore model was generated to screen the Enamine REAL DataBase (RDB). Then, ADME/T profiles were determined to validate the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics properties of the hit compounds. Moreover, High Throughput Virtual Screening (HTVS) and molecular docking (SP & XP) were employed to screen the top hits from pharmacophore-based virtual screening and ADME/T screen. The binding free energies of the top hits were calculated by conducting MM-GBSA analysis followed by MD simulations to determine the stability of molecular interactions between top hits and RdRp protein. These virtual investigations revealed six compounds having binding free energies of −57.498, −45.776, −46.248, −35.67, −25.15 and −24.90 kcal/mol respectively as calculated by the MM-GBSA method. The MD simulation studies confirmed the stability of protein ligand complexes, hence, indicating as potent RdRp inhibitors and are promising candidate drugs to be further validated and translated into clinics in future.
Collapse
|
6
|
Hognon C, Bignon E, Monari A, Marazzi M, Garcia-Iriepa C. Revealing the Molecular Interactions between Human ACE2 and the Receptor Binding Domain of the SARS-CoV-2 Wild-Type, Alpha and Delta Variants. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032517. [PMID: 36768842 PMCID: PMC9916449 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
After a sudden and first spread of the pandemic caused by the novel SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus 2) wild-type strain, mutants have emerged which have been associated with increased infectivity, inducing surges in the contagions. The first of the so-called variants of concerns, was firstly isolated in the United Kingdom and later renamed Alpha variant. Afterwards, in the middle of 2021, a new variant appeared called Delta. The latter is characterized by the presence of point mutations in the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, especially in the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD). When in its active conformation, the RBD can interact with the human receptor Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) to allow the entry of the virions into cells. In this contribution, by using extended all-atom molecular dynamic simulations, complemented with machine learning post-processing, we analyze the changes in the molecular interaction network induced by these different strains in comparison with the wild-type. On one hand, although relevant variations are evidenced, only limited changes in the global stability indicators and in the flexibility profiles have been observed. On the other hand, key differences were obtained by tracking hydrophilic and hydrophobic molecular interactions, concerning both positioning at the ACE2/RBD interface and formation/disruption dynamic behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cécilia Hognon
- Departamento de Química Analítica, Química Física e Ingeniería Química, Universidad de Alcalá, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona, Km 33,600, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Emmanuelle Bignon
- UMR 7019 LPCT, Université de Lorraine and CNRS, F-5400 Nancy, France
| | - Antonio Monari
- ITODYS, Université Paris Cité and CNRS, F-75006 Paris, France
| | - Marco Marazzi
- Departamento de Química Analítica, Química Física e Ingeniería Química, Universidad de Alcalá, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona, Km 33,600, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Química “Andrés M. del Río” (IQAR), Universidad de Alcalá, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: (M.M.); (C.G.-I.)
| | - Cristina Garcia-Iriepa
- Departamento de Química Analítica, Química Física e Ingeniería Química, Universidad de Alcalá, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona, Km 33,600, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Química “Andrés M. del Río” (IQAR), Universidad de Alcalá, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: (M.M.); (C.G.-I.)
| |
Collapse
|